The Knight's Hunter

Chapter 22: Twists and Turns

I picked up the wooden case, dropping it on the bed with a soft thunk. The leather strap I had attached to the corners slid over my head, resting the clunky box against my hip. The edges would hurt after a while, but I would deal with that then.

Zero was sitting in the living room when I came out. A sword hung in a sheath by his hip, and he looked annoyed and uncomfortable.

Ah, he doesn't have his gun.

He didn't talk. He just stood up and opened the front door. I followed, shutting the door behind me. Yagari would lock it.

"We're taking the bus," Zero informed me gruffly, his right hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Part of me wondered how we were going to board a bus without getting screams. As if in response to my thoughts, Zero shifted the belt, unclasping it to slip it under the long coat he wore, until only the tip of the sheath was visible in the shadows below it. Soon, it would be invisible as the setting sun cast its final rays over the housetops.

~~~

Of course my fears about getting arrested in public were ridiculous. The bus that took us to the edge of town was empty, save the bus driver, a haggard looking woman who looked like she'd prefer being in the shower than the dingy bus that rattled up to the bus stop.

As Zero and I boarded the bus, I didn't miss the looks I got from some people still waiting at the stop.They were looks of confusion, suspicion, and fear.

Yup, we're definitely boarding the right bus.

Zero went straight to the back of the bus, sitting down on a seat as he immediately turned to look out the window. I opted to sit on the seat opposite him, sliding along to my own window.

With a warning rumble, the bus jerked into motion, carting its two passengers down the darkening road.

We got off on the first stop. The bus had trundled its way straight through the city, finally stopping at a dim lamppost that marked the stop. I had no idea where the bus would stop next.

The dirt road was hard under our feet, a few shades lighter than the sky in the moonlight. A bird flapped away on my left, sweeping into the rooftops of the houses that made up the outskirts of the town. Our destination was in the other direction.

Even with my vampire eyes, I could only make out the blurred silhouette of a ramshackle house that stood like a demented giant in the distance.

Zero's hair gleamed dully in the light of the half moon, and idly, I wondered how he could still remain stealthy with a head like a beacon.

The house was closer than I thought, or we had just been walking faster than I realised. The scrubbery that dotted the ground shifted uneasily under our footsteps, and I laid a hand on the wooden box that rested against my hip.

"Stop," Zero held out a hand, the first word he spoke since we left echoing through the silent air. Even the crickets had stopped chirping.

Kneeling as silently as possible, I put down the case, opening it quickly and carefully, to pull out the silver bow and quiver. I left the box on the ground as I stood up. I would retrieve it later.

Zero placed a hand on the sword in his coat, his gaze fixed on the house in front of us. I opened my mouth slightly to taste the air. The scent of blood was stale, but strong. The vampires were definitely here.

Zero stepped through the open door first, his boots creaking on the wooden boards inside. A soft breeze picked up as I followed, releasing creaks and groans through the house. It was like a horror movie, but I wasn't too scared. I was a vampire, the villain of the movie.